I Think I Love You
by Michelle18
Summary: Gaara makes a startling statement and Naruto is left in a precarious position. Should he accept his friend's feelings or inadvertently crush them?


**Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto.**

**I Think I Love You**

"I think I love you." The words were met with a stunned silence that lasted until the speaker decided to continue the train of thought, "I don't think I like it."

"Why wouldn't you like it?" Naruto burst out, for while he was a bit caught off guard, well, blindsided really, he thought he was very lovable even if it took people a while to realize it and Gaara had known him for a long time now.

The Kazekage's brow was slightly creased as he considered the question, "I never wanted to love anybody."

"What? Why?" Naruto settled in closer, intent on the answer. Weirdness aside, Gaara was one of his closest friends and they all deserved to be happy so why was Gaara sabotaging himself?

Gaara gave him a disbelieving look, "You can ask me that after what happened with the Uchiha?"

Naruto flinched and looked away, "T-that's not the same thing at all, Gaara! I'm not in love with Sasuke I'm just-"

"Then why are you so obsessed with bringing him back?"

Naruto opened his mouth and then closed it. He opened it again, "He . . .acknowledged me."

He looked up at his friend and knew that the rather vague statement made perfect sense to the other boy. Anyone else might have demanded more of an explanation and still wouldn't have been able to understand what he was trying to say.

Not Gaara.

"And you acknowledged me," Gaara met his eyes contemplatively, "You showed me there was another way."

Naruto winced, of course that knowledge went both ways, "That doesn't mean you're in love with me. It just means I'm important to you."

Gaara turned the thought over in his head before shaking his head slightly, "Then why would I dream about you?"

Naruto's face turned a vibrant red, "You WHAT?"

Gaara waved the words away as unimportant, "The point, Naruto, is that you're embedded in my subconscious."

"But why?" Naruto demanded.

"I don't know," he shrugged the mild frown reappeared, "You know the difficulties I have sleeping."

Naruto again instantly understood. Gaara didn't really tend to sleep very much even now that he could without a demon trying to unravel his mind. The Kazekage was very much a control freak who didn't like to be vulnerable if he could help it and sleeping was the ultimate state of vulnerability, well that, and he had nightmares. So the fact that Gaara was dreaming of him . . .meant something.

"At first I thought it was a fluke," Aqua eyes drifted over to sky blue, "So I went to bed again the next night and . . ." He shrugged, "I've dreamed about you every night since."

Naruto opened his mouth and then shut it. On one hand it was kinda weird for his friend to dream about him but, on the other, it was good that he was finally sleeping like a regular person.

"What am I doing in these dreams?" He asked finally and felt his stomach flutter when a light brush crossed his stoic friends cheeks.

"I tried to stop them," he offered apologetically, "I just didn't know what was happening."

"It's not your fault," Naruto answered faintly, "You can't help what you dream."

Gaara nodded and then looked out the window, "No, but they made me think about you and why I would have such dreams."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat, "Gaara-"

"I wasn't going to say anything," His voice held no inflections, "I was going to keep it to myself."

"What changed?" Naruto frowned, not liking the idea of Gaara suppressing his emotions.

"You walked into the room," A hand came up and cover his heart, "And this feeling . . . I've never felt this way before and I don't like it. I shouldn't have to love you if I don't want to but I can't seem to help it."

Gaara flinched when Naruto put a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to be afraid," Naruto pulled on his friend's shoulder so he could face him, "Look, I-"

"The first person I thought I loved and loved me was my Uncle," Gaara pulled away from him, his arms more hugging himself then crossed, "And he lied. He tried to kill me."

"Gaara-"

"I have to think about this," he backed away, "I shouldn't have told you. You would have been happier if I'd left you in the dark. It's just I didn't have anyone else to talk to about this and . . ." Gaara took a breath, "Just pretend this conversation never happened."

"I can't do that," Naruto shook his head.

"This doesn't affect you," he remarked bitterly, "Everything will be the same. You will go back to Leaf and I can analyze this thoroughly. And if you should need me for anything then I'll be there."

"Gaara," Naruto took a step toward him, "This probably isn't what you think it is-"

"I think I know what I'm feeling, Naruto, just as I know it will end badly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto frowned, "What's wrong with loving me?"

Gaara blinked at him, "Wrong?"

"Yeah, I mean, if you're going to be in love with someone then why not me?" Naruto insisted.

He glanced down at their feet, "What are you saying?"

"I mean, I'm never going to hurt you and . . ." Naruto trailed off, where was he going with this . . .?

"You love me?" Gaara's eyes widened with surprise, hope, and a huge does of fear.

"I . . . " Naruto touched his friend's trembling shoulders, "You're important to me, Gaara, but I don't know-"

"You don't love me," he stated with certainly.

"I love all my friends," he announced and couldn't help but reach out when Gaara flinched away, "Gaara-"

They both stopped as they realized how close Naruto had instinctively pulled them and so Naruto did the only thing he could possibly do at that moment: Kiss Gaara.

The redhead flinched but didn't otherwise pull away as the hot mouth moved over his softly. He clutched at the blond's clothing as if determined to both hold him close and shove him away at the same time.

Naruto tightened his grip on the other boy determined not to let him get away with thinking that no one could love him, that he was doomed to be alone with only his thoughts to keep him company, and that everyone was right when they called them monsters.

Gaara tried to pull back, opening his mouth to protest, only for Naruto to grasp the back of his neck in an iron grip and stick his tongue in his mouth.

Naruto poured everything into the kiss, all his hopes, dreams, aspirations for him, his village, and his friends.

They pulled away with a gasp and stared at each other with confusion.

"Why did you kiss me?" Gaara asked guardedly.

Naruto blinked and gave a half-shrug as he answered as honestly as possible, "Because I think I can love you back."

End

AN: My attempt at a decent oneshot and yaoi. Inspired by the Partridge Family's song 'I Think I Love You.' Let me know what you think!


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